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Zvikomborero Parafini
HARARE lawyer Emmanuel Makanjera Mukwewa has been implicated in a US$180 000 fraud case in which he allegedly embezzled money belonging to a private company.
Mukwewa, who is a Senior Partner at Mukwewa Law Chambers, appeared before magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa last week and was released on US$500 bail.
The complainant is Pacifio Trading (Pvt) Ltd, being represented by Rodger Barney Guy, its director.
The State alleges that in January last year, Mukwewa and Enerst Chagadama of Oracle Estate, connived to defraud unsuspecting land seekers.
And, to achieve their plan, they fraudulently fabricated documents which purported as if Lot 1 Of 636 of Greendale Township Harare belonged to Oracle Estate (Pvt) Ltd.
They flighted an advertisement online selling the piece of land for US $180,000.
Pacifio Trading, which was looking for a piece of land intending to construct a service station, got information that Mukwewa was selling a similar piece of land. They approached Chagadama, who is still at large, who confirmed the sale.
He, however, referred them to Mukwewa as the Estate’s legal practitioner.
Guy viewed the stand and was interested in the deal.Mukwewa was tasked with crafting an agreement of sale.
Guy agreed to pay the whole amount on condition that US$90 000 was to be advanced to the seller and the other US$90 000 was to be kept in trust account by Mukwewa and would only be released when the transaction sailed through.
Guy paid US$180 000 and was given a copy of the agreement of sale.
After five months, Guy made a follow-up with Mukwewa, checking on progress since the agreed period had already lapsed and that is when he discovered nothing meaningful had been done.
This prompted him to engage a legal practitioner, who made due diligence.
The State alleges that it was at this stage that Guy learnt that the piece of land belonged to the Government of Zimbabwe not Oracle Estate (Pvt) Ltd.
Guy started demanding his money back but Mukwewa only released US$20 000.
Mukwewa became evasive soon after, leading to his subsequent arrest.
Online Reporter